Muralist talks about his latest project in Veterans Park

Hamtramck muralist Dennis Orlowski worked on a new mural this past spring and summer that faces the new playground in the east section of Veterans Park.

By Charles Sercombe
At age 80, Dennis Orlowski may be retired, but he is one busy guy.
He is known locally for his many murals around town, as well as elsewhere in the metro area. One of his more well-known murals can be found in the heart of the city’s Jos. Campau business district, in Pope Park at Belmont.
You can also see one he recently finished, in the Hamtramck Historical Museum, that explores and celebrates Hamtramck’s rich cultural diversity.
His latest mural faces the new playground in the east end of Veterans Park.
We caught up with the retired Detroit Public Schools art teacher to talk about his spring/summer project.

The Review: How long have you been painting murals, and where can they be found?
Orlowski: “I’ve been doing murals since I was 15. You can see my murals in Hamtramck at Pope Park, Hamtramck Public Library, Hamtramck Historical Museum, outside of Hamtramck in Detroit. Sweetest Heart of Mary Church, St. Hyacinth Church, and Mexican Village Restaurant on Bagley St.
My murals are also at the Detroit City-County Building on the 4th floor; and in Grosse Pointe at Marie Elementary School, St. Clair Shores Senior Center, Warren Consolidated Schools, Susick Elementary, and Gus Grissom School in Troy. I am also in Lowell, Indiana’s Lowell Public Library, and Merriville Public Library.

The Review: What are you portraying in the playground mural? Were you given special instructions on what to include?
Orlowski: I am showing Hamtramck children playing in an open park, blue skies, green grass, and trees. The girls are on the left and boys are on the right.
In the middle is a typical Hamtramck street scene. I got permission from Dickinson East Middle School to use some of their students as models for the mural. I needed to be careful that the Islamic girls wore dresses.

Muralist Dennis Orlowski used local kids as models for his latest mural in Veterans Park.

The Review: What was the feedback from those in the park while painting it?
Orlowski: Wonderful. Islamic women would come up to me and actually take down their face coverings to thank me for my work. Families enjoyed watching me work while being at the park, with some interaction with the kids.

The Review: Did painting it in the summer present any special challenges?
Orlowski: April is when I actually started painting, when it was cool, but the sun’s glare on the wall hurt my eyes. And the cracks and holes in the wall showed up a lot in the sun, making painting difficult.
Also, I used expensive outdoor wall paint. Carrying the paint and equipment was hard. I worked from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Review: What’s next for you?
Orlowski: I have no new mural projects at the moment.

The Review: Anything else you would like to add?
Orlowski: It was a great experience; an honor to work for the Hamtramck community.
Posted Aug. 23, 2024